As sure as night follows day, Geelong is into another preliminary final, the Cats' playoff for a grand final spot next week their 14th top four finish in the past 19 seasons, an incredible record.

No team in the AFL era has been as consistently near the top of the tree for this long as has Geelong. And it's not only the source of much admiration but also plenty of jealous sniping from opposition supporters.

The Cats' phenomenal record is attributed variously to supposed salary cap skullduggery, a cosy relationship with AFL headquarters, or their significant home ground advantage.

What bitter rivals must gnash their teeth over most, however, is how well Geelong runs its football program, particularly when it comes to first identifying, then developing the players it needs. And that was a

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